Akron Zips look for first Mid-American Conference football victory against UMass

View full sizeKaren Schiely, Akron Beacon JournalAkron Zips coach Terry Bowden said quarterback Dalton Williams had his best game of the year last week against Kent State.

Akron vs. Massachusetts

When: 2 p.m., Saturday.

Where: InfoCision Stadium, Akron.

Radio: WARF AM/1350.

AKRON, Ohio -- While the records for Akron (1-9, 0-6) and Massachusetts (0-9, 0-5) may make you cringe, the matchup at InfoCision Stadium could produce the most competitive contest in Mid-American Conference football this week.

Both teams are desperate for that first conference victory. For UMass and coach Charley Molnar -- the former Mogadore resident and Kent State assistant coach -- this is the first of three games (Akron, Buffalo, Central Michigan) the Minutemen have a shot to win.

UMass is in its first season at the Football Bowl Subdivision level, and earlier games against Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan and Vanderbilt -- not to mention a crossover game with the MAC's West Division powerhouse, Northern Illinois -- were all over the Minutemen's head.

But in the MAC East, UMass has been competitive. It has lost to Ohio, 37-34; Miami, 27-16; and Bowling Green, 24-0.

The rebuilding Zips have been just as competitive, losing to OU, 34-28; Miami, 56-49; and BG, 24-10.

Akron coach Terry Bowden said senior quarterback Dalton Williams "played his best game of the season" last week in a 35-24 loss at Kent State. That bodes well for the Zips, as Williams, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin, leads the conference in passing.

Williams has thrown for 3,003 yards and 24 touchdowns. No other MAC quarterback is within 500 yards of Williams' total or has more than 19 touchdowns.

Considering UMass is coming off losses of 63-0 to Northern Illinois and 49-7 to Vanderbilt in its past two games, another big day from Williams could be the key to unlocking the Zips' first MAC victory.

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